From Alley to House
by Zapharina
Summary: She used to be human. Now she's half cat, to go by her appearance. She's been hiding since it happened, but her life is about to change drastically. And she's about to meet someone who goes by the name Mistoffelees...rate T for some language. Please R
1. Chapter 1

It's raining. Again. Big cold drops gather on the fire escapes above me before plopping down onto the pavement. Like usual. I hate this Midwestern climate- as soon as it turns unpleasantly cold outside it starts raining daily. Which is less of a problem for those who have a home to wait out the storm in than it is for those like me.

Ha. As if there is anyone like me. I'm a unique gal.

I try to curl my body into an even tighter ball inside the cardboard box I've taken up residence in, wrapping my tail tight against my legs. The box doesn't do much to keep me dry or warm, but it does hide me from prying eyes. That's enough. That's the most important thing.

Eyes closed, I try to figure out what month it is. Probably early October, judging from the Halloween decorations that are just now appearing everywhere. It's especially cold for October- it can't be more than 40 degrees. With the rain it's becoming dangerous to live in the alleys like this. Not like I have much of a choice, though.

God it's cold…a sound makes my ears twitch and I wince as they move. If it's cold enough that my ears are starting to hurt, it's too cold to be out here. Maybe I should start working my way further south at night before it's too late. Before the real winter starts. For the millionth time since the summer ended I wish I was furry all over like a real cat, instead of just having fur on my head and tail as a half-human freak. At least then I'd be warmer.

That sound again- it's a woman's stiletto heels against the pavement. There's also the softer, heavier thud of a man's shoes. Since it's 2 am there really shouldn't be much foot traffic around here, except for college students. And even they rarely come around to the nastier, darker alleyways that litter this part of town.

The sound is coming this way and I try to curl away, turning my face away from the light. I'm pretty much invisible from behind in the dark, what with my black fur and clothing…maybe they won't see me. As long as I keep my white skin hidden, maybe they won't notice the monster in the alley.

Damnit, they're coming this way, coming down my alley.

The woman tries to scream and the man clamps his hand over her mouth. I hold my body completely still so they won't notice me.

The man drags her to the back of the alley where there are no lights, where people go who don't want to be seen. I'm hiding not five feet away from them, praying they don't see me.

The woman tries to run away, but he throws her against the wall and starts ripping at her clothes. I can smell her fear, the acrid scent of panic.

The man flicks open a switchblade, a soft sound that no one but me is around to hear. I grit my teeth and fight a war in my head.

I know what's coming just as much as that woman in the stilettos does. This man smells of lust and he's brought her where no one else would go, where no one else could see. She's trapped in a dark, damp brick alleyway far away from help, from light, from safety. He's stronger than her and with those shoes she stands no chance of outrunning him.

I know how afraid she is, how alone she feels. She knows no one cares, no one's here.

I know that I can't interfere without risking everything.

This woman, this man, this alley…I know what I have to do and I know it's crazy.

Before I can argue myself out of it I've sprung out from the box I hide in, body still in a feline crouch. A low growl is coming out of my throat and as the man turns to notice me I do the best I can to look fierce. My retractable claws extend, my large furry ears pull back against my head. The man let's out a barely audible "what the hell?" and I open my mouth to hiss at him, hoping he can see my pointed fangs in the dark alley. It's not what I can do to him that's my best weapon, it's his fear of my appearance. He sees a monster before him, something he can't understand. In the fear of the moment he's forgotten the woman, stepped away from her and focused all his attention on me. I hiss and spit before turning to the woman frozen behind him.

"RUN!" I scream at her, aware that there's a bit of a hiss in my voice still. "Get to the cops or a phone or a crowd or something. GET AWAY!!"

The woman doesn't need to be told twice. She's running away in terror. Not to get away from the rapist with the knife. She's forgotten him as much as he's forgotten her. No, she's running away from me. It's me she was focused on in terror before she fled.

This leaves me alone with a large man armed with a knife.

My back arches as I face him, arms extended so he gets a nice look at my claws. I swipe at him, barely missing. I miss on purpose- all I want is to scare him off so I can go back to hiding. There's plenty of space for him to just run off and I'm careful not to back him into a corner. Please, please just run away and let me be.

He looks sideways, towards the exit, still holding his knife towards me. I can see him shifting his weight on his feet, preparing to run. Just another minute, just please run away and leave me alone…

My ears twitch at new noises, at the sound of more voices coming this way. Oh please, not now! Please, please, there can't be more people coming this way now when I'm out in the open!

While I'm distracted the man takes a swipe at me, and he doesn't miss. The knife bites into my arm and he laughs in triumph. Then he hears the voices coming this way and decides he'd rather not face a crowd. Finally he runs away, shoving his way through a handful of college students that have come this way, blocking the exit.

Damnit. I have a second before they see me where I can get away. With a nimble leap I jump up to grab onto the fire escape, hoping to pull myself up and out of sight before the humans can spot me in the dark. My jump is sure, my aim is good and I grasp the wet bars sure of making my getaway…

And then I fall squarely to the ground. The metal was wet, but worse than that my arm is cut more badly than I thought. I can feel blood seeping from the wound. The pain is shooting through my nerves and for a second I sit there holding my arm, whimpering. For a moment I give in to the cold and the damp, the pain and the fear, the frustration of living like this.

One moment too many. They've seen me.


	2. Chapter 2

We came down this alleyway expecting there to be nothing. The woman who ran past us was hysterical, screaming about a monster that saved her from a rapist and a wild animal and…oh, who could tell! Katie tried to get her to use her cell phone to call the cops but the woman wouldn't stop running, she just kept blathering about their being _something _in that alley.

So of course, we had to check it out. We had to see if there was an animal down here that needed to be reported, had to see what this "monster" was that the woman was screaming about. Expecting to see nothing but an empty alley.

At first that's all we see. It's very dark here. Then there's a soft thump and we see a black clad figure fall. There's a soft whimpering sound coming from it as it sits on the ground. The three of us come further into the alley looking for the _something _the woman saw, and Katie goes to ask the dark figure if they've seen an animal down here. As she gets close to it the figure looks up and we all freeze.

This is the something, the monster, the animal the woman was talking about.

It looks like a woman around our age, late teens or early twenties. Very petite, but still fully adult. She's dressed all in black, her clothes wet and filthy. I'm amazed that I noticed her clothing at all- because the rest of my brain is trying to decide if this is a woman or a cat.

She has short, thick black fur covering her head and the large feline ears that are pulled back in fright. Her skin is bright white, unnaturally white, and there are black marks on her face that somehow make her look even more like a cat. I almost smile to see there's even a little black smudge under her human nose that makes it look more truncated and feline. With the black lines around her eyes and on her mouth standing out so clearly against her white skin it is terribly easy to read her expression. We can all see how frightened she is, frightened of us.

Katie has frozen in her tracks but the …creature…is trembling, pulling back. It backs itself against the wall of the alley, pressing itself against the hard bricks. That strange mouth opens, revealing pointed fangs. Those white hands reveal retractable claws. It's so animal, so strange…

But its eyes are so human. Light gray and wide open, rimmed with black, they show us fear. Naked fear.

Katie finds her voice somehow and addresses it, keeping her tone soft. "Can you speak?" she asks, and I know she's using the voice she uses with wounded animals at the shelter she volunteers at. The creature nods warily.

"What's your name?" Katie asks and I find myself surprised at the question. I've been busy wondering what it is, not being anxious to get to know it.

The little feline figure looks at each of us, still pressing itself into the wall as it moves sideways. Hitting a dumpster it winces and grabs at its right arm. Those pale eyes squeeze shut in pain.

"What's your name?" Katie asks again, still very softly. She lowers her head a bit and gazes straight into those gray eyes as soon as they open back up. "We aren't going to hurt you. Just tell us your name."

"Zaphia…" it whispers, voice barely audible. I'm surprised to hear it…that's a perfectly normal voice coming out of that completely abnormal body. Strange name, but that voice could belong to anybody. But then she whimpers and squeezes her arm, and that whimper sounds just like a cat.

"Zaphia, are you injured?" Katie gingerly steps forward and the whimpering figure flinches. "We aren't going to hurt you- just tell me if you're injured." I look at Jake who's been watching this whole thing with a look of fascination, then I turn back to Katie and…Zaphia, I guess.

She nods. Katie holds her hands in front of her, palms up. "See, I don't have anything to hurt you with" Katie murmurs reassuringly. "I'm pretty good at first aide, so why don't you let me have a look at that arm?"

Zaphia raises her eyebrows questioningly. "What's your name?" she asks back.

"Katie."

"Katie…can I trust you?" Wow, this gal is pretty straight-forward. Katie smiles. "Yes, you can trust me" she replies. Zaphia leans forward slightly, sniffing the air while Katie waits patiently.

"You don't smell like you're lying…" Zaphia mutters to herself, then turns to me and Jake who have kept our distance. "What about them, can I trust them?" she asks. Katie nods, this cat-woman sniffs, then seems to relax somewhat. She holds the arm out for Katie to look at and we can all clearly see the slice across that white skin where the fabric was cut. As Katie gently grasps the arm to get a look this…Zaphia…winces.

"Does that hurt?" Katie asks, turning the arm to try to get some better light on it. The girl shakes her head. "No, it's more…I'm not used to letting anyone see me, not to mention touch me." She looks surprised that she said that out loud. Katie frowns a little, and the frown deepens as she takes a close look at the wound. Now the medical student in her takes over and the questions flow faster.

"How did you get this cut?"

"I interrupted a rapist and he had a knife"

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"No, he only got that cut in because I was distracted by…you guys"

"Do you have anything to put on this?"

The feline laughs a little before replying. "I live in that box"-she points- "so no, I don't have much antiseptic on hand."

"You live on the street?"

"Yes." Those feline ears droop a bit, and as she turns away a bit I notice for the first time that she has a long black tail swinging behind her.

"For how long?"

"Since early June. Since I turned into…whatever I am now." She looks down at her hands and squeezes her eyes shut again. I notice that she's shaking slightly, swaying on her feet.

Katie frowns, then puts a hand on the girl's forehead. "Did you know you're running a fever?" she asks, and the feline merely shakes her head. With a sigh Katie walks back to me and Jake, keeping her voice low. "She's lost blood, and although that cut isn't deep it's sure to get infected if it's left untreated. She's also running a fever, she's soaking wet and she has nowhere to go. And it's only going to get colder out here."

I look at Jake, then back to Katie. Where is she going with this?

Katie turns to me, and her voice is quietly determined.

"Erin, we need to bring her back to the apartment with us."

Oh. So that's where this is going.

"Katie, are you insane?" I ask, keeping my voice at a low whisper. "We can't take her with us…look at her!"

"Well, we certainly can't leave her here" is my roommate's only response. I look at Jake for support on this one- surely he realizes how crazy this is. "C'mon Jake, back me up on this one" I plead.

"Two important things" he says, chin on his hand. "First of all- it seems like this…whatever she is…saved some woman from a rapist. So she deserves some help no matter what she looks like." He holds out a hand to silence my protest. "Second of all- she's injured, sick, cold, scared and probably half-starved. So she needs our help, whatever she looks like. Whatever she is."

"Third important thing" Katie throws in. I raise an eyebrow.

"She just passed out in the alley."


	3. Chapter 3

I feel soft cushions underneath me. I shift slightly and keep my eyes closed, enjoying the give and the softness after months of hard pavement. A blanket is draped over me and I wriggle into it, pulling it tighter around me. Mmm…I'm so warm in this dream. I hope I don't wake up for awhile. Stretching out my arms I feel a burst of pain in the right one and I pull it back.

Wait…that feels familiar. And since when do you have your eyes shut in a dream?

For some reason it's a struggle to open my eyes, and for a minute everything's foggy anyway. Considering I have superb vision that's a little disconcerting. I shake my head slightly, trying to clear it. What happened to me? The last thing I remember is…those three humans.

Suddenly my eyes are wide open and I try to jump up. The blanket catches around me and I collapse back onto the couch I've apparently been lying on. I guess my feline grace is on holiday.

One of the humans, the one called Katie, is sitting in a chair across from me. She looks up and smiles as I struggle on the couch. I find myself crouching down warily as she walks over. "Glad to see you're awake" she says, sitting down beside me.

"Where am I?" I find when I speak that my voice is a cracked whisper. "What happened? Why do I feel…" suddenly I feel faint, and I can't help but sink into the couch a bit. Katie holds a hand out and feels my forehead. Her hand is cool and soothing.

"Zaphia, you passed out in the alley. We brought you back to me and Erin's apartment. Jake carried you, actually. I cleaned up your arm, but you've been running a high fever." Ah, so that's why her hand feels so cool. "We dried you off as best as we could, but now that you're awake you can change into some fresh dry clothes. I'd like to get some medicine into you too, along with some…"

Her voice fades out as everything gets dark again. I don't mind too much.


	4. Chapter 4

A few days pass this way, with Zaphia sleeping on our couch and only occasionally startling into consciousness. Every time she's surprised to be here, surprised to find herself dry and warm. She seems to trust Katie now and quite obediently follows her instructions. It took awhile, since she kept passing out, but eventually Katie got her cleaned up, changed, medicated and fed.

She's still lying on the couch with a high fever, but there's medicine and a bowl of water on the table next to her. Whenever she wakes up she knows to take some, and if she's thirsty she laps up some water…she must have a rough tongue just like a cat. Maybe it's weakness from the fever, but she seems to be getting used to us. She hasn't spoken in awhile, maybe she can't. But at least she doesn't wince when we come near.

I promised Katie I'd keep an eye on our unusual guest while she ran to the store for some supplies. By now my curiosity has gotten ahead of my concern about having her here, and since she seems to be deeply asleep I risk getting a little closer. She doesn't flinch away as I sit down next to her. In fact, she moves a little closer.

My eyes widen as she rubs her head against my leg, those floppy ears brushing along my thigh. She's asleep, she doesn't even realize she's doing it. Her movements are gentle but strong, surprising strong. My hand hovers above her, unsure of what to do. Slowly, I lower my hand onto her head, feeling just how soft that fur is. Very slowly I start to stroke her fur, gently rubbing her ears. A smile plays around those odd colored lips and strange little Zaphia curls up closer to me, head in my lap.

I pet her like a cat, running my hand down her head, down her back. I keep rubbing those ears too, and suddenly I hear a rumbling noise. The couch seems to be vibrating slightly.

With a smile I realize our houseguest is purring away. I laugh a bit and then bite my lip as I look down and realize that her eyes have opened. She pulls away, batting at her ear in embarrassment. "Sorry" she whispers, lowering her ears in shame. "I thought I was dreaming…"

"It's okay Zaphia" I say, trying to sound reassuring. "I don't mind petting you, if you want." She looks at me, eyes wide. I smile at her. "I've always liked cats. Me and Katie have talked about getting one for the apartment…" I trail off as she puts her head back into my lap tentatively. She's tense, waiting to see how I react.

I go back to gently petting her, rubbing those soft ears and that silky black fur. She relaxes, and is soon purring again. It's not long before the fever brings her back to sleep and I'm sure she can't tell what I'm doing. But I keep petting her anyway, long after she's deep asleep. Just in case.


	5. Chapter 5

It's been a few days. Not really sure how many, things have been blurry. I do remember that it was Erin who taught me I could purr. I never knew before…it never came up.

My fever is nearly gone now, and I'm nervous to feel it go. I like it here. It's warm, the couch is soft, and Erin and Katie are kind to me. They pet me, they make sure I'm fed, they even brush out my fur to keep down the shedding problem. I know that's more for their sake than mine, but it still feels good.

They've been treating me like a housecat, and with a sigh I realize that's what I want. Which stinks for me, because once I'm healed there's no reason for them to let me stay here any longer, no reason to pamper me like a house pet. Because of course, I'm not really a housecat. Not really anything.

Katie and Erin come into the room together and sit down in the chairs opposite the couch. Katie leans over so she can look into my eyes as I lay here. "Zaph, we'd like to have a little chat with you…" I feel my ears drooping. "Since your fever seems to be going down, we've been thinking that it's about time for you to get out of the apartment."

I knew this was coming but it's still a blow. There's a chill going down my spine. Still, they've already given me more than I had any right to ask for. Taking a deep breath to regain my composure, I nod. "Yeah, it's okay, I wasn't expecting to move in here permanently or anything." I look up, trying to smile, and catch them exchanging a glance.

"That's …not what I meant" Katie says, coming over and sitting next to me. I look at her curiously. "I meant that you need to get some fresh air, some exercise. We should start taking you out for walks at night is all I was going to say." She laughs at the wide-eyed look on my face and rumples the fur on my head. "Oh, kitty-cat, did you think we were going to kick you out as soon as you were better? It's cold out there!"

I can feel my cheeks hot, but I still nod. Erin comes closer holding a large bag, and pulls out a big hooded coat. She hands it to me, smiling. "If you wear this, nobody will be able to see your ears or tail. They might think you're a goth wearing makeup, is all." I look between the two girls, unable to understand this change in events.

"Zaphia, we've talked about this a lot. You're welcome to stay with us until we can think of a more permanent solution. But we're definitely not going to have you living in the streets all winter."

I must still be a bit feverish, because the tears feel cool on my face.


	6. Chapter 6

We wrap Zaphia up in the black coat, pulling the hood down low over her face. It's long enough to hide her tail, so she really does just look like a goth in winter. Well, a goth with slightly unusual makeup, but still…in a university town no one will give her a second glance.

The doorbell rings and Katie lets Jake in. He agreed to be a part of our little circle of walkers. Zaphia has sort of become our little group secret and taking care of her is our "pet project" of sorts.

She's nervous and we almost have to shove her out the door. We laugh at her skittishness and reassure her that no one will see her for what she is. "It's okay, kitty-cat" Katie giggles as Zaphia jumps at a car horn. "There's no reason to be afraid of a little walk!"

Zaphia looks embarrassed and mutters something about "only dogs get taken for walks." Jake laughs at her. "Well, it beats having to carry you everywhere." She blushes again, but seems to appreciate walking on her own two feet a little more.

It's fairly late, and fairly cold, so the streets are empty. We wander, having no real destination in mind, and end up walking past the alley where we found Zaphia in the first place. She turns and looks with a strange expression on her face, ears twitching. She stops walking.

"Zaph, what is it?"

She turns to us, brow furrowed. "Did you guys hear anything, see anything down there?" We all shake our heads.

"You know your night vision is way better than ours."

With a sigh she buries her hands in her pockets and follows us for the rest of the walk. She's quiet, very quiet, and it seems her mind is elsewhere. Not that I blame her…she's been through a lot, and seeing that alley must bring up memories I can't imagine. Maybe we should have asked her about her past before taking her out.

But it doesn't seem like she's ready to talk about her past until she has more of a future.


	7. Chapter 7

It was good to get outside for a bit. But now I toss and turn as I lay on the couch. I can't sleep after what I saw.

What I _thought_ I saw, I correct myself.

It's the doubt that's keeping me awake, really. I have excellent vision, especially in the dark. My ears are sensitive, my nose is keen. Rarely have I been fooled by my senses ever since I took on this feline form. But tonight I must have been. I couldn't have seen what I saw.

Could I?


	8. Chapter 8

When we get up in the morning Zaphia is already awake, knees drawn up to her chest. Automatically Katie goes to feel her forehead.

"Well, you seem better." She hesitates, looking at the feline. "Then again, you look like hell. Did you sleep at all?" Zaphia shakes her head. I go sit beside her and she automatically cuddles close, rubbing her head against me. Gently I stroke that black fur.

"What's wrong?" I ask. "Did something happen?" She shakes her head. "Bad dreams?" She shakes her head again. I ruffle her fur, going against the grain and she scowls up at me a bit. "Well, you hafta give us something to work on you know."

She sighs, a deep sigh that seems to come up from her toes. "I thought…I thought I saw something last night." We wait, expectantly. She doesn't continue. I rub at those big floppy ears, trying to get her relaxed. "What did you see, Zaph?" I ask gently. That long black tail of hers swishes in agitation. With a slight frown she turns away. "It couldn't have been…" she whispers, barely audible.

"What do you think you saw, Zaph?"

When she looks at us the expression on her face is so confused, so pained that I hug her automatically. Head buried against me, she whispers "I thought I saw someone …like me. A…" she breaks off into sobs and I hold her as she shakes violently. She pushes against me and I almost gasp as I fall back. For someone so tiny she's so strong! I look up at Katie as Zaphia's tears fall against me.

"Well, there's no reason there couldn't be another like you" Katie offers.

"No" Zaphia says with a sniff, rubbing her nose. "I can't believe that. I don't know what I am…but I know there couldn't be more than one of me." She holds her arms tight around that strange little body. I know she's trying to convince herself, not us.

Her tail twitches violently and she looks away. I don't think she's convinced.


	9. Chapter 9

Okay, so I'm completely insane. Good to know.

I'm back out here in the alley, alone. Katie and Erin don't know that I left…I told them I didn't want to go for a walk for a few days. Told them I didn't want to go check out what I saw.

What I _thought_ I saw.

I lied to them, took the coat and snuck out. It's dangerous to go out like this alone. But I have to look for myself. And for some reason…I don't want them around when I find out for sure I was wrong, when I accept that I really am a monster.

Plus, the little voice in the back of my mind whispers, if you were right, you don't want them around to scare it off.

I silence that little voice. I can't start believing it, it hurts too much.

The alley looks empty, but I expected that. No matter what I find out, I wasn't expecting a welcome wagon to be waiting here on the pavement. I'm looking for clues. Slowly I pace down the alley, eyes almost shut. Better to let my nose lead the way.

It's amazing how soon you forget things, like just how nasty an alley can smell if your nose is sensitive. But these odors are of things I know and I can dismiss them easily. The scent of old brick. Of garbage. Of wet paper. Of rain puddles that have sat for awhile. Of humans. Of…

Wait…

There's something new here, something strange. Something I can't place right away.

But it's also something amazingly familiar.

I barely control the urge to drop on all fours as I hone in on this new scent. My old box is still here and I stick my face inside it. Yeah, I can still pick up my own scent, a familiar smell. It's old but still faintly here, a strange cross between feline and human scent traits. But there's a fresher smell here too, stronger. There's something muskier about it too. Someone else has been in my box, someone who was here recently.

And most importantly, that someone smells like a cross between cat and person.

I can feel my body jump slightly at the shock of that thought. I sniff again, deeply, carefully. Must be sure about this before my mind runs away on wild tangents. Am I sure that these aren't separate smells? A bum and a cat could have both passed by here…am I sure that this is one smell?

Yeah, I'm sure. Knowing what my nose tells me is largely instinctive, but I know what I know. This muskier, fresher scent is of something that must be similar to me.

Only one way to know for sure.

Nose low to the ground, I start tracking the scent away from the box. Now that I know what I'm following, I can detect the fainter traces of this strange smell from when…whatever it is…left the alley. Up the fire escape I climb, my grip much surer than last time. Across the roof, down an escape on the other side. Through some twisting alleyways, behind old warehouses…whoever I'm tracking took great care to stay as far away from people as possible. Which is good for me, because it helps keep me hidden too.

It seems like I follow the scent forever before it starts getting stronger. I'm close, I know it, so I start getting very careful. I stay down wind, crouching as I walk so that I make a smaller figure to spot in the dark. I'm grateful for my black coat and fur. Walking softly, I make no noise as I creep up the dark corridor of the alley. Slowly, slowly I go along, until the sound of soft breathing catches my ear.

There, behind the dumpster, are some old wooden palettes. They're stacked haphazardly, at all angles, so someone could just barely fit underneath them and use them as a makeshift shelter. Not a bad place to stay. I creep close. Whatever they are, they're sleeping. I crouch down, trying to get a better look, and put my hand over my mouth to stifle a gasp as I catch sight of them.

It's like looking at a male version of myself.

My god, it really is true. There, curled up in a ball under the rotting wood, is a …whatever I am. Anthropomorphic cat, I guess. A boy. His eyes are squeezed tightly shut in sleep, so I risk getting a little closer.

This can't be. The same bright white skin, the same black markings. Although not quite as pronounced around his eyes as mine. The same black fur on his head, the same large feline ears. He's even dressed all in black.

My mind is swimming as I look down at him. A male…like me. And I can't help admitting to myself that he's quite adorable all curled up there with that little white face. I draw a little closer, trying to make out how old he is. That face is boyish, his expression is kitteny and innocent as he sleeps. He seems small, but his body is more the lean muscle of a dancer than the gangly skinniness of a teenager. Maybe like me he's just built on a petite scale.

I think I've been living with girls too long- I'm not out here to evaluate him for a date. Involuntarily I sigh at this train of thought.

His eyes fly open at the sound and he's staring up at me, soft brown eyes wide with fright. I back up a bit, trying to give him some space. Now I understand how Katie must have felt when they ran across me- I'm racking my brain trying to figure out how to convince this boy that I'm no threat. I'd better think fast, because he's tensed his body into a crouching position and seems about ready to run.

"I'm Zaphia" I blurt out, then I feel my cheeks heating up. Suddenly I'm staring down at the pavement, strangely embarrassed to find that he's staring intently at me. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you…" I mumble. "It's just…I thought I saw something like me yesterday, and I had to find out…" I look up at him hopefully. He still looks as if he thinks I'm going to eat him or something. It's almost comical to have someone scared to death of me, the tiny little girl-cat.

"What's your name?" I ask, trying to give a warm smile.

"Mistoffelees…" he whispers in a voice so soft I can barely hear it.

I giggle a bit. "Like the musical?" He turns his face away, cheeks red. Oh, okay, apparently that's a bit of an embarrassing point for him. "Sorry" I mumble again, pawing at the damp pavement. "I didn't mean to …" Oh, I'm making a mess of this. I try to get closer and he flinches away. "Hey, it's okay! I'm not going to hurt you!" I exclaim, surprised at his reaction. Maybe a different tactic will work.

"You must be cold out here," I ask gently. He nods, barely moving his head. "And hungry?" Again, he barely nods. "Come back with me, the humans I live with will…" I break off as he jumps up, ears flat and tail swishing in fright. For the first time I notice that his black tail is tipped in white.

"Hey, Mistoffelees, it's okay!" I cry out as I jump to my feet too. At my sudden movement he starts moving backwards, keeping his eyes on me. "Hey, hold on…" I'm starting to panic that he'll disappear on me now, and in desperation to keep him here I reach out and grab his arm as he turns to run away.

Mistoffelees gasps and pulls his arm back, cries out "leave me alone!" I don't let go, I'm determined not to lose track of him. I look into his face and am startled to see his eyes white and glowing. Suddenly a stream of lightning comes shooting out of his free hand and I cry out in pain, releasing my grip on his arm. I clutch my arm to my chest and despite myself the pain forces me to close my eyes. When I open them, I look around me, straining my eyes in hope.

He's gone. I'm alone in the alley.

I sink down beside the dumpster, not even trying to stop myself from crying.

He's gone. I'm alone.


	10. Chapter 10

What have I done? After my little disappearing act I find myself rematerialized a block away, huddled behind a stand of refuse bins. I bury my head in my hands, feeling how warm and tingly they still are from using my magic. Oh, Mistoffelees, what where you thinking?

As the warmth of the magic fades out I feel even colder than I did before. I stifle a whimpering sob and wrap my tail around my legs, trying to figure out what to do next. I'm being torn in a million directions.

What did she say her name was? Zaphia?

I curl up in a ball behind the trashcans, trying to warm myself up so I can think. This time I won't close my eyes though, won't fall asleep so I can be surprised.

"Zaphia…" I whisper it out loud, feeling it on my tongue.

I stare up at the night sky, hoping the stars will spell out an answer for me.


	11. Chapter 11

Finally I slip back into the apartment and take off my coat, by this time damp with dew. Thanks to that little tomcat it took me forever to make it back here. My arm is burning with pain. I don't think I'll be sleeping anytime soon, but I curl up on the couch under my blanket anyway. I need to think, try to figure out what the hell happened tonight.

God, that hurt. Damnit, Mistoffelees, thanks to you I barely made it back to safety before sunrise. If I'd been stuck out during the day people might finally have noticed me. Regardless I'm sore and half-frozen and…ugh. I try to hold onto the anger, let it fill me, because then there's no room for the other feelings.

Feelings like hurt, regret, rejection. Feelings that tell me things I don't want to admit with everything being the way it is.

"Who needs him, anyway" I mutter into the blankets. I pull them tight around me and try to sleep, willing myself not to imagine things that will never be.


	12. Chapter 12

When me and Katie get up for the day, it's obvious that Zaphia's upset. With ears and a tail like that her body language is incredibly easy to read. Something has her tense, irritable, to the point that we're glad when we get back from class to find her asleep. Late that night I see her finally wake up, so I go over to where she's groggily rubbing her eyes.

"Zaph, do you want to go out for a walk tonight?" I ask.

"No."

I sit beside her and find she's instantly in my lap, desperately pushing her head against my hands. "Okay, okay" I giggle, rubbing her playfully. She doesn't smile.

"Zaphia? You wanna talk about it?"

"No." She looks up at me, then back down. "No…just…sit with me. Please." I don't argue but just pet her fur, waiting for her to start purring. It feels so funny when a cat this big starts purring against you. But she doesn't, she just drifts back to sleep. Katie walks by me on her way to bed, raising her eyebrows at me. I just shrug, then gently move Zaphia off my lap so I can go catch some sleep myself.

With all of us sound asleep, nobody notices the smell of smoke until the fire alarm goes off.


	13. Chapter 13

I jump up groggily, a shrill ringing in my ears. At first I think that my vision is foggy, then I realize that the apartment is filling with smoke. I run to Katie and Erin's room, shaking them awake and getting them down on the floor with me. In another situation it would be funny to see all of us crouching on all fours like cats.

We go to the front door, feeling it for warmth like everyone is taught to do. I pull my hand away, wincing. The door is hot- we can't get out that way. I turn to Katie. "Is there another way out?" I ask fearfully.

She bites her nails. "Not really… we're on the fifth floor and there's no fire escape." Erin runs to the windows anyway, looking down. We all follow suit, trying to figure out something, anything we can do. Our best solution is to gather at the largest window and throw it open, try to breathe fresh air and shout for help. Tears sting my eyes. The smoke is getting thicker and I start to cough, straining my ears for the sound of sirens.

Instead, I hear something else. A voice so soft no one else would probably hear it. Calling my name.

"Zaphia! Are you okay?"

It can't be…can it? I strain my ears, my eyes, my nose, trying to pick up something…

"Look in the tree!" Katie cries out, pointing. I follow her fingers and see him. I don't know how I missed him. That white face is pretty clear to see in the moonlight.

Mistoffelees.

"The buildings on fire!" I scream out, my lungs tortured by smoke. "We can't get out!" I can see his eyes go wide as he looks about him, looks for a way to help us. The tree he's standing in is very tall and thick, but it doesn't come high or close enough for us to use it to get out. He's a good dozen feet below us and at least a twenty feet away. There's no way we could make the jump safely.

A crowd is starting to gather outside, evacuating the building. I see him flinch to see them, see him starting to pull back and hide himself among the tree branches. In a minute he's going to disappear again, going to run off and hide himself. Going to keep himself safe. There's a roaring sound behind me and I turn to see that flames have eaten through the door of our apartment and are licking at the walls, carpet, ceiling…

Funny, I always figured I'd die this winter of cold and exposure.

I turn back to the window and am surprised to see he's still standing there, that he hasn't fled. "How strong are you?" he calls up. Odd question.

"What do you mean?" I yell, barely able to get the words out.

"If you're like me, you're very strong for your size. Can you throw your friends over to me? I can catch them and they can climb down…" He doesn't look like he can believe that that's his plan either. Katie and Erin look at me. We all turn to look at the fire eating its way towards us, then look at the drop down from the window.

"Well…it's worth a shot" Erin says in a cracked whisper. "I'll give it a try." She stands in front of the window, shaking, then climbs up. I don't move. She turns to me, smiling. "Well, aren't you going to at least try?" she asks, balancing herself on the windowsill.

Hesitatingly I put my hands on her waist, trying to figure out the best way to do this. I lean against the wall so I can put every bit of strength into the toss. I can't believe I'm going to do this…I look out the window at Mistoffelees, see him bracing his legs against the tree, arms out. He really intends to catch her. I measure the distance, try to figure out how to aim this…

"Hurry up!" Erin shouts.

Here goes…I grab her securely, pull back, swing her out the window and …let go. The second her weight leaves my arms I cry out. I just threw my friend out a fifth story window! I just…I close my eyes, shuddering. Then I hear Katie give out a triumphant whoop.

"He caught her!" she cries out, climbing onto the windowsill herself. I open my eyes, amazed. She's smiling at me despite the smoke-tears streaming down her face. "Toss me next, Zaph" she says, as if that's a perfectly natural request. I brace myself again, toss another friend out the window. This time I look, this time I see Mistoffelees catch her, legs flexing to absorb the impact. It looks so funny to see such a small person able to do something like that. Katie moves behind him, starts to make her way down the tree and he looks up at me, eyes wide.

"You'll need to jump, Zaphia!" he yells, and I shake my head fearfully. "You can do it!" he cries, eyes wide. "You know how strong you are now, use those legs and get out of there!" I can feel the heat on my back, I know I don't have much time. I perch on the windowsill and realize just how high up we are.

"Don't look down! Just look at me! Jump!

I lock my eyes on him, tense my legs for this lunatic leap. Then, eyes closed, I gather up every bit of strength I have.

I jump.

The air outside feels like ice against my skin. I have just enough time to realize that I'm falling, that this is the end. Everything goes gray and I realize I'm blacking out. Squeezing my eyes shut I wait for it…

I feel a thud as I impact, all the air knocked out of me. But there's not the pain I was expecting. In fact in a moment I can breathe again, coughing out the last of the smoke. I open my eyes, wondering what happened.

As soon as I open my eyelids, I find myself staring straight into the brown eyes of Mistoffelees. He smiles. "Caught you" he whispers, and for the first time I notice strong arms around me, holding me tight against his chest. It feels good to be held, to be safe. I smile and try to find the words to thank him.

A blinding light bathes us and we both shield our eyes with a white hand. I squint, trying to make out what's going on, and realize that there's a fire truck below us with a spotlight. Instinctively we both try to hide behind the tree, but it's too late. "You two! Come down from there!" someone calls over a megaphone as a ladder swings up to us from the truck. I shrug at Mistoffelees and start to climb down. Once I reach the bottom I spot Katie and Erin, safe on the ground. Then run to me and I hold tight onto them, laughing and sobbing. For a minute I'm so glad that we're all alive that I forget what I am.

Then I see all the lights. Then I notice the police. It's dead quiet as everyone stares and the pit of my stomach goes ice cold. They're all staring at me. Whispering. A few officers gingerly step near me, then a few more. I can't see Katie and Erin, all I can see is a wall of uniforms. With a gasp I realize that they've drawn their guns, but they aren't all aiming at me. Some of them are aiming at the tree. I turn and look.

He's still standing there, frozen in the lights. So frightened, so …out of place. A low mewling sound is coming out of my throat before I realize it. Some of the men turn to me, eyebrows raised. I hold up my hands, palms out. "Please, don't hurt him" I whisper, begging. The officers look at each other. "Please!" I cry out, falling to my knees. I close my eyes, feeling my ears droop. I don't struggle as they put handcuffs on me, I just keep pleading with them not to hurt him. Once I'm cuffed, they turn their attention to Mistoffelees, guns raised. "You there, come down slowly" they order, and I can see him looking at the guns. I can't bear to meet his gaze so I look down at the ground.

I can hear him climbing down the ladder. I can hear them put cuffs on him too. I can hear him cry out as they drag him to a squad car and force him inside, not even bothering to read him his rights. They take me to a different car, shove me in the back without a word. I don't make a sound, I don't struggle.

There's no point…everything's over.


	14. Chapter 14

Me and Katie stand there helplessly as the officers hold us back. We watch them shove Zaphia and…that other one into the cars and drive off. The officers don't seem to hear our protests, don't bother to answer our questions. As soon as the cats are gone they pretend they never saw them and start taking statements regarding the fire. Paramedics circle the crowd, checking for injuries. Once they've taken my statement I sit on the ground, head in my hands. Katie sits next to me.

"Katie, we've go to help them. She's our friend."

"And he saved our lives. I know." Katie gets a determined look on her face. "I don't suppose you have a cell phone on you?"

I shake my head. "Don't usually sleep with one on me, no." Katie gives a little half-smile, then looks at the officers milling about. "Well, they don't seem to be particularly interested in talking to us, or helping us out…" she starts, expression pensive. "How about we cut out of here and go look for a phone we can use?" She catches me looking down at my bare feet and pajama pants and smiles.

"Don't worry, I have a plan. And getting into some real clothes is part of it."


	15. Chapter 15

I lean back against the cell wall and draw my knees up to my chest. Automatically my tail wraps around me, the white tip nestled against my feet. Feels like I've been sitting here waiting for years.

There's a soft sobbing sound coming from the cell next to me. Zaphia hasn't stopped crying since they put her in there. I rest my chin on my knees, waiting. We're both waiting for whatever is coming next.

"Mistoffelees…?" she whispers hesitatingly. I turn to look at her. Those pale gray eyes are swimming with tears. Wet like that, they shine like silver. She winces a bit as I look at her, lowering her head. "Thank you for helping my friends" she tells the floor, not looking up. A tear hits the cement beneath her.

"I'm so sorry…" she breaks off, sobbing a little harder this time. She never looks up at me, just curls herself into a little black and white ball on the cell floor. I crawl over to the bars that separate her cell from mine and reach a hand through. Barely able to reach her, all I can do is rest my fingertips on her arm. That's enough to get her to look up at me, at least.

"Sorry for what?" I ask. Her ears droop and she turns away, eyes closing. "Sorry that you're here. Sorry they caught you. Sorry for whatever is going to happen. Sorry for everything…" she trails off again and picks herself up. I watch as she lies down in the opposite corner of the cell, far away from me as she can get. She's still crying. She still won't look at me. I lay down on the floor, pressing my body close to the bars. My eyes close as I try to find the words that I need to say.

"Zaphia…you don't have to be sorry. You didn't make me this way, you didn't arrest me for it."

She laughs bitterly. "Yeah, but if it wasn't for me you wouldn't be here. If I hadn't tracked you down, if I hadn't followed your scent back from my old box in the alley-"

"I tracked you first" I interrupt her. She almost looks up in surprise. I shift uncomfortably, but it seems important to tell her. "You found my scent in your old box because I was there when I was trying to find you. I was tracking your scent because you seemed…to smell like whatever I am." She smiles a sadly at that. I continue. "So I found your box and stayed there one night, the night you saw me. But I got scared and ran off." I want to look at her but I'm afraid to see her expression. I try to continue on.

"So I hid, and then you found me, and…I panicked. I've been hidden in an old house most of my life, I'm not used to being outside, to being around people. It's made me jumpy…and when you mentioned going somewhere around humans, I got really scared. I didn't want humans to see me. So when you grabbed my arm, I thought you were going to force me to come with you, and I…" I can feel my ears lowering in shame. "I'm so sorry…I didn't want to hurt you. I was just…"

"Scared?" she whispers, and I realize she's crept closer to the bars. I sit up and face her, nodding slowly. She smiles. For the first time I realize what a nice smile she has, even if it is a little sad. Slowly, hesitatingly she puts her hand through the bars and rests it on my shoulder. "It's okay…I was scared too. I shouldn't have grabbed you, I was just afraid you'd run off and I'd never see you again. I was so surprised to see someone who was…who looked…" she looks down, white face blushing.

"Like you?" I put my hand over hers and smile at her. "I know what you mean." She smiles back and blushes more. I take my hand away, feeling my own face get a little hot. I'm not used to being this close to someone, to talking to anyone. She pulls her hand back through the bars.

"That's…that's why I followed you home" I stutter. Her eyes fly open a bit and I can feel my face turning bright red. "You followed me home?" she asks, eyebrows cocked.

"Well…yes. I was afraid that I'd ruined everything and I knew I couldn't lose the chance to get to know someone else who was…you know." I bat at my ear in embarrassment as she stares at me. "So I followed you and hid myself near your apartment. But then I smelled the smoke and saw the commotion, and then I heard you at the window and…"

"And you risked being seen by humans, risked everything you were scared of to save me and my friends" she finishes for me. I nod slightly. "You must have been so afraid…" she whispers.

"I was more afraid of losing you…"

I feel her hand on my fur, rubbing softly. I'd almost forgotten what that felt like. "Thank you" she whispers, stroking my ears gently. "You're most welcome" I whisper back, pushing my head against her hands slightly. She smiles. "I'm just sorry…sorry that you're here right now…" she says, head lowering.

My voice is soft, but steady. "I'm not sorry I'm here." She looks at me questioningly and I smile back, the brightest smile I can manage. "I'm glad…glad we're both here, if one of us has to be" I say, putting my hand through the bars and gently petting her head. Her fur is thick and silky. It feels nice against my hand. "Whatever happens…I'm glad that we got to spend some time together…" I murmur, watching her eyes close happily. I can't help but smile, she's so sweet and kitteny. And such a pretty face…

I can't help closing my eyes too as she ruffles the fur on my head. The low thrum of a purr is starting in my chest and to my surprise I hear an answering sound coming from Zaphia. A girl like me, we're purring together…this is a dream come true. If you ignore the fact that we're locked in a police station. Despite everything I laugh and she looks at me with alarm, breaking off.

"Sorry, sorry!" I exclaim, wincing at the hurt expression on her face. She turns from me and I sigh. "I'm sorry…" I whisper, "I was just thinking how happy I am right now…which seemed kind of funny considering that we're prisoners and all." I look down at the cell floor. "I mean, I'm scared to death, but sitting here with you and purring and everything…"

Zaphia laughs, and pulls me into a hug against the cell bars. "I know just what you mean" she says, giggling. I put my arms through the bars and wrap them around her gratefully. "We are two of a kind, after all. If only we were free and safe somewhere, maybe we…um…" she breaks off, looking embarrassed.

I just hug her back, embarrassed myself. But I'm not letting go either.


	16. Chapter 16

Katie and Jake have been on the phone for hours, ever since we called Jake and had him come pick us up. At first I thought we were just going to crash at his place, borrow some clothes and grab a shower or something. But as soon as we were out of our pajamas Katie started laying out a plan. Then they started making phone calls.

I'm no good at this kind of thing, so I just sit and watch as they call every media figure they can dig up contact information on. I listen to them tell the story over and over, listen to them repeating "no I'm not joking" and "check it out for yourself!"

I already did my part- I called my father. The lawyer. He's putting together his own strategy, making his own phone calls.

Those two saved our lives. Hopefully, we can find a way to give them their lives back.


	17. Chapter 17

I wake up in the cell for what seems like the millionth time, aching somewhat from sleeping on the floor. We've been here for days. Mistoffelees still seems to be asleep in the cell next to me. Quietly I roll over to look at him, trying not to make any noise. The longer he stays asleep, the better. He needs the rest…and sleep is the only way that we can escape this place.

As soon as I look at him I see that he's awake, eyes open, watching me. I blush a bit to find him staring at me. He turns a little pink too and averts his eyes. "I thought you were asleep" I mumble.

"I thought you were too. Didn't want to wake you."

"S'ok, I just woke up" I say, yawning. Slowly I stretch out my limbs, flexing so that my claws come out. I catch Mistoffelees looking at them curiously. "Don't you have claws?" I ask.

"Well, yes. It's still strange to see someone else with them." He smiles shyly. "It's going to take me awhile to get used to not being the only one." I sit as close to him as I can get with the bars between us. We've done nothing but talk for the past few days, hours at a time. About likes, dislikes. About what it's like to be a cat-human hybrid. About his magic, although he's shy to talk about that too much at once.

By now I know him better than I've known almost anyone, by now I feel like we've been good friends for years. But I've avoiding asking what I most want to know. Today I'm determined to ask. "Mistoffelees…" I start, voice shaky.

"Misto."

"What?"

"You can call me Misto for short. Mistoffelees is such a long name…"

I smile at the name. "Misto…I've been wanting to ask…if you always…if you've been…"

"You want to know if I was born like this?" he interrupts, looking pensive. Embarassed, I nod. He shakes his head. "No, but I have been like this since I was little. I only have vague memories of being human or of when it happened. What about you?"

I bite my lip. "It happened to me in June." His eyebrows shoot up. "This past summer?" he asks, as if he can't believe it. I nod, blushing like crazy. "I just sort of…woke up this way. When I was out camping with my folks. They were screaming at me when I woke up, chased me away from the campground…it was awhile before I even realized what I had turned into." I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out the memory. "I've been living on the streets since then, keeping myself hidden." A hot tear trickles out from my eyes, and I feel Misto wrap his arms around me, drawing me against the cell bars. "Oh, poor kitten…" he murmurs as I start to cry, leaning against the bars. "It must have been so hard to have everything turn upside down like that." He rests his forehead against mine, as close as we can get.

I look at him, eyes wet. "I was kind of hoping you knew what we are, why we are…" I'm half asking this, and I sigh as he shakes his head. "No…" he says, his tail twitching. "I just woke up this way too. Just…much longer ago. I don't remember what it's like to be human. That makes it a lot easier. All I remember is my parents leaving me at some fortune teller's house." His brown eyes are wet now. "She raised me, sort of. Gave me a new name to fit my new look. Kept me hidden in the basement, away from everything and everyone. Then a few weeks ago she said it was time for me to 'seek my destiny' and …kicked me out." A tear breaks free and slides down his white cheek.

Before I realize what I'm doing, I lean over and lick the tear away, my rough tongue rasping against his skin. He gasps and I pull back, embarrassed at what I've just done.

"Sorry…" I mumble, covering my face with my hands. "I don't know what I'm doing half the time." Gently he pulls my hands away from my face and holds them, looking at me. He's smiling.

"You need to learn to trust your instincts. You're half feline now. Same as me. It's okay to act that way." He pauses, frowns slightly. "At least, around me it is" he clarifies. I laugh bitterly, at that. "Oh, I don't think either of has much of a choice" I mutter. Misto frowns a bit, pulls away.

"I'm sorry…" I draw back and lean against the cell wall. "This is all so strange. So…embarrassing sometimes. I'm not sure how to act, or why I feel the way I do. Don't you ever get all confused by it?" I look over at him and catch the thoughtful expression on his face.

He nods. "As if you're not sure whether to act feline or human?" he asks, and I nod. With a weak smile, he motions for me to come back over. I scoot a little closer. "Yes…but it gets easier" he whispers into my ear. I smile, turn my face to his.

"I think it'd be much easier if we stuck together" I whisper back at him. "I don't feel strange around you." He smiles, a wide irresistible grin. "I'd like us to stick together" he murmurs, stroking my ear. I realize that seeing him smile like that makes me happier than I've been in awhile. Suddenly I'm blushing like mad, confused at what I'm feeling.

Maybe it's the stress of being locked up here, of not knowing what's going to happen. Maybe it's the novelty of being around someone who's like me, who looks and acts and feels like a cat. Maybe…maybe it's something else…

Mistoffelees blushes, looks away for a minute. An officer comes in the room, gets out the key to unlock the door to my cell to take me out again. I feel panic rising like I do every time this happens, because I don't know if I'll be coming back.

I look at Misto, seeing the same fear in his face. Each time one of us is taken away, we know it might be the last time we see each other. As the officer fumbles with the keys, Misto gets a determined look on his face.

Quickly but gently he puts his arm around me. He places his hand on the back of my neck and draws me tight against the side of the cell that separates us. I shut my eyes as he presses himself closer. Before I can fully realize what's happening his lips are against mine, soft but demanding. I feel like I'm drowning, a happy sinking feeling. There's a tingle running through me and I open my eyes to see sparks coming off Mistoffelees' hands. I've dreamed of my first kiss, never expecting to find it here, never expecting it to be with someone like him. And as soon as I find it, it's taken away.

The police officer pulls me back, breaking the kiss. For one more moment Misto holds onto me tightly, face close to mine. "I love you" he whispers, tears streaming down his face. I let out a little whimper as the officer tears me out of Misto's arms, pulls me away from something I can't believe has happened. Everything suddenly seems so clear. Maybe it's feline instinct.

"I love you too!" I cry out as I'm dragged out of the cell. I catch a glimpse of him as I'm escorted out, looking flushed and concerned, but happy.


	18. Chapter 18

We've done our job well. The police station has been bombarded for days with media attention. It took a bit at first to get it going, but once there was any bit of confirmation about just what our friends looked like the media took it and ran. Two cat people saving people from a burning building? Being held without charges? Sweet little suffering kitties? It makes for beautiful headlines.

My dad calls it the "golden intersection of media." Something that gets people feeling outraged, but is also an obvious issue. No shades of gray, no weighing of factors. Easy to understand and easy to fight about, easy to watch on the local news. And, with those two, photos alone are sure to make for great ratings.

We're waiting now for them to be officially released. After all, they were being held without charges. And now that enough people, and enough lawyers, are watching…there's no choice but to let them go.

Katie and Jake and I stand up and cheer as we see Zaphia come out of the station. I run up to her first, manage to get in the first hug. "Are you okay?" I cry out, rubbing her ears vigorously. She giggles, a bit embarrassed. "Yeah, I'm okay" she mutters. "I thought they were taking me out for questioning again, but then I heard we were being released. Not the friendliest or most communicative cops in the world."

Once the story hit national media, we knew that they were safe. There's no way that they can disappear into a government lab now, no way they can simply be locked away forever. Ironically, it's public attention that saved them after they spent so long afraid of being seen.

The door opens again and the other one comes out. Zaphia gestures for him to come over and he does, shyly. He's short and slender, but moves with incredible grace. _Feline_ grace, I guess.

"This must be the tom they were talking about" Jake says, holding out a hand to the feline male. He looks confused. "Tomcat" Jake says, smiling. "They told me there was a male like Zaphia, a male cat. That would make you a tomcat." Zaphia grins. "Of course, we don't call Zaphia a queen…" Jake trails off as Zaph rolls her eyes. The tomcat grins at the term.

"This is Mistoffelees" she says, introducing her companion. He manages a bit of a smile. Katie laughs at the "uf" sounds he makes as I grab him in a hug, then she follows suit. "Nice to meet you" he says once we give him room to breathe. I laugh and rumple the fur on his head. "We've met before- when you saved our lives. Remember that?"

He nods shyly, moving closer to Zaphia. I notice that he's holding onto her hand now. That's interesting… I raise my eyebrows and look her in the eye. She blushes a bit, but doesn't flinch away.

"And how long have you two known each other?" I ask, looking from her to him. She blushes a bit more. "Actually…we just met the night before the fire…" she admits, ears twitching in embarrassment. "And we didn't exactly get off on the right foot." Mistoffelees turns a bit red. "But we've had a chance to get to know each other since then…and straightened everything out" she finishes, smiling at him.

I bet there's a bit of a story behind that, but there's another time for asking about it. "So, you're public now" Katie says, putting an arm over each cats shoulder. "No more hiding in the alleys. What are you going to do now?"

Zaphia shrugs. "Try to start new lives, I guess" she says. Mistoffelees whispers in her ear, smiling, and she blushes.

"What?" I ask, curious.

"I was just suggesting we start a new life together" he says, voice soft. Zaphia leans over, kisses him on the cheek, and he blushes. But they're both smiling.

"Well, you can stay with us for as long as you need, Zaph" Katie offers. "And Mistoffelees here can stay with me" Jake puts in, and the tomcat looks a little relieved and nervous at the same time. I smile- I know Jake, he'd make a great roommate for a shy tomcat. He'll learn that in time.

"Who would have thought all this would have led to a happy ending?" Zaphia asks, looking giddy. I shake my head. "It's not a happy ending yet" I say. Mistoffelees looks at me, surprised.

"Well, you guys haven't had a date yet!"


	19. Epilogue

We did have that date, in a sense. After Katie, Erin and me settled into a new apartment, the girls cleared out so I could entertain alone for an evening. It's so odd, trying to do normal things again. It must be odder for Misto, who never really had a chance to be normal in the first place.

But I've learned a few things as we've been spending time together away from a jail cell, away from that gnawing fear.

First of all- there's no such thing as normal for us. Sure, we can have dinner and watch a movie together like a "normal" couple…but there's still going to be a lot about it that's completely feline and weird. Like our habit of drinking milk out of bowls.

Second of all- there's nothing wrong with that. In fact…it's kind of nice to get used to this form, this way of life. There are some real advantages in terms of strength, speed and agility. I think I could learn to like being a cat. It's already starting to feel natural. Especially when I'm around Misto.

Third of all- it wasn't the stress of being locked up, of not knowing what's going to happen. It wasn't the novelty of being around someone who's like me, who looks and acts and feels like a cat. It was something else.

Love.

_Author's Note: Well, that's it. I have lots more stories to tell with Zaphia and Misto, lots of their past and future to reveal. What they are, why they are...plus some strange friends to add to the mix! But it'd be good to know if anyone's interested in reading it!   
_


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